Bad Girls Have Fun
by mooncoffee
Summary: Lily Evans has the world's most enormous crush on James Potter, who refuses to notice her. She comes to the conclusion that bad girls have all the fun, and, with a little help from her friends, tries to lose the 'goodie-goodie' image. Join Lily, the Marau
1. All's Fowl in Love and War

Bad Girls Have Fun

__

The black dog sniffed his way around the perimeter of an abandoned building. To his ears, the music still played, and smoke hung heavy in the hot, excited air. When he flopped down amongst a pile of rubble and made his bed, he imagined that he was leaning against that familiar stone wall, at the top of the tower, in a time when life was less tainted. Watching love unfold all about him, left to his untroubled dreams, the black dog finally slept.

*****

"What're you _doing_?" Sirius Black exclaimed in disgust as he passed Arabella Figg on his way downstairs. 

She was standing just outside the entrance to the girl's bathroom, and seemed to be smearing some kind of green slime all over her face. Snorting derisively at him, some of the slime went up her nose. "Now look what you've made me do! And for your information, it's Bubotuber pus," she added crossly, before disappearing into the bathroom. The infinitely more pleasant Lily Evans took her place, and looked after her friend with an alarmed expression, before narrowing her eyes at Sirius. "What did you say this time?"  
  
"Nothing! Just asked her what she was doing," he replied, sliding expertly down the banister and landing neatly at the bottom. "Not my fault she's spotty."  
  
"I _heard _that! And you're just jealous!"  
  
"Why the hell would I be jealous of you? I don't want to look like a bloody girl!"  
  
"No-one would want to look like a bloody girl, unless they happened to be a necrophiliac…"   
  
"Look at you _go_ with those big words. All designed to cover up any real feelings…"  
  
"Well, I'll tell you how I feel! I think you're _foul_, Sirius Black!"

"Fowl? What, you mean I'm a chicken? Or perhaps a rooster…"  
  
"Oh, you're _so_ funny. You'll be laughing on the other side of your _funny _face…and I mean funny peculiar…your _funny_ face tomorrow."

"I know. You, vodka, and singing is never a pretty sight…"

A strange smile hovered around Arabella's lips, and she merely quirked a supercilious eyebrow. "Oh, you'll know alright. Just wait until tomorrow."

By now, a few bemused students appeared sleepily at the entrances to the dormitories, and the bathroom door flew open. Arabella stormed out, her face free from pus. "And just for the record…I hate you," she finished, coldly, and made a very rude sign in his direction. Sirius frowned, and made a ruder one back. 

"Wha's all the noise about? Who's fowl? Did someone get that Transfiguration spell wrong again?" yawned Peter, his slippers making complaining noises as he stumbled down the stairs.

"No-one is. It's just Sirius and Arabella having a yelling match," James replied, joining his friend by the fireplace. The three sank into the comfortable chairs, and Sirius glared at some nearby first years. "Show's over," he snarled, and crossed his arms defensively over his chest. James sighed, closing his tired eyes. Life in Gryffindor Tower had been rather strained since the party in Hogsmeade last month. When his two most unpredictable friends had started their tempestuous relationship, he'd guessed it would only be a matter of time before things turned sour…three weeks, to be exact.

Sirius, having decided that Arabella obviously didn't fancy him anymore, had made off into a dark corner with a Ravenclaw fifth year. Arabella, having decided that she was completely head-over-heels in love with him, had found them. After setting fire to several tables and causing the door to blow off its hinges, she'd run out into the night, Padfoot and half the occupants of the Three Broomsticks following. Sirius had grabbed her by the shoulder, and she'd scratched him around the face, before being dragged away by her friends. The girls had given himself, Remus and Peter some very dirty looks, and hadn't spoken to any of them for several days. Arabella hadn't spoken to them for several weeks, and had taken to casting a Silencing Charm around herself so she didn't have to listen to their conversations. 

Sirius was devastated. He'd tried everything to try and explain himself, but to no avail. There had been a breakthrough of sorts in Potions yesterday, when somehow he managed to spray Rainbow Elixir all over her new robes. Since then, they hadn't stopped arguing. Inevitably, the others had all been drawn into the situation, until even the normally mild-mannered Emma had been found cursing Peter's cloak with the Itching Impediment. 

"James." He looked up, startled, and saw that Remus was tugging at his shoulder, books clutched tightly against his thin chest. "You better go and get dressed, breakfast'll be over soon." The werewolf cast a worried glance in Sirius' direction. "What happened?"  
  
"I thought all of Gryffindor Tower heard…"  
  
"I was in the library, catching up on my homework."  
  
"Ah…Arabella and Padfoot had yet another argument. It can't go on for much longer, they're running out of insults."  
  
Remus winced. "So I suppose she won't be particularly sympathetic in Advanced DADA?"  
  
"Ouch. You two are duelling partners, aren't you?"  
  
His friend nodded, and rubbed his back with a grimace. "Looks like I'm substitute Sirius again…why couldn't she have made me substitute when they were actually going out?" 

James sighed heavily, and raised a thin smile. "Because, Moony my friend, things are rarely ever that simple." 

*****

Lily hated being the sensible one.

Emma was the flirt, Talia was good at Quidditch, Arabella was quirky…she was sensible. And clever. She always studied hard, made all the notes, did her homework on time…the others lived life in a mad whirlwind of forgotten essays, missing books and late nights. Oh, she went out to Hogsmeade with them, danced with them…they were all best friends. Secretly, though, she knew they all though she was a little uptight. Just because she didn't drink too much, didn't smoke, didn't have time to go out with boys.

That was another thing. 

Arabella was sitting on the bed, crying her eyes out over her heart, shattered into hundreds of tiny broken pieces. Flipping back her long blonde hair, Emma shot a half-exasperated look in Lily's direction. However sorry they were for Arabella, and however much they disapproved of Sirius' behaviour, the continual sobbing was starting to grate on already frayed nerves. 

"Come on, Arry," said Talia, patting her back gently. "He isn't even worth getting upset over…"  
  
"But he is!" she wailed mournfully, burying her head in her hands. Between tears, she even managed a whole sentence. "He…_is_…worth…it, because…he's…he was…_so_ lovely…until he _decided_ to sleep with that _slut_…"

"He didn't sleep with her! And she isn't a slut…"  
  
The sobbing grew louder.

"I mean, she _is _a slut! A horrid, skanky slut that deserves to have her face…her ugly face cursed off!"   
  
She couldn't take it any more. Lily grabbed her things, made her excuses, and hurried downstairs for a breakfast in blessed solitude. She quickly checked her appearance in the mirror, and smiled. So far, she hadn't given in to the whole 'make-up in the morning, short robes, high shoes' ethic that the others had employed since they were in fifth year. Straight red hair, clear green eyes and the regulation uniform were good enough, not to mention inexpensive. Her family just didn't have the money to splash around on needless things…besides, she preferred helping her friends to get ready. She'd found this brilliant Potent Hair Straightening Potion she was just longing to use on Talia's Afro-Carribbean locks… 

"Hey, Lily!"  
  
It was James. Her heart gave one, violent beat and promptly became stuck to the top of her ribcage. He grinned charmingly, pushing messy black hair away from his eyes, and then grimaced. "Look, I'm really sorry about Arry. Sirius doesn't know his own evilness sometimes, I'd swear…"  
  
"Don't mention it," she said, rolling her eyes in the direction of the dormitory. "_Really_ don't mention it."  


"Ah…so she's still a little upset, then."  
  
"Wait a minute…you aren't spying for Sirius, are you?"  
  
"No! No…actually, I wanted to ask you something."  
  
He hopped agitatedly from one foot to another, and Lily swallowed. This was really it! Finally, being good was going to pay off. 

"Ask away," she said, trying to make her voice light.  
  
"I was wondering if…er…well, you know down at the Foggy Frog they're having a karaoke night tomorrow, and we were all going to go together?"  
  
"I know," she replied, feeling a wonderful warmth wash over her. The Foggy Frog was more a club than a pub, and was the local of choice for most of Hogwart's upper year students. 

"Er…" he paused, and leaned closer, speaking in a hoarse whisper. "It's just…doesEmmahaveadate?"

"Yes, I'd love to…" Lily gushed, heart speaking over head. About half a wand swipe later, her head came charging to the front and grabbed her heart firmly by the throat. "What?"  
  
"DoesEmmahave…I mean, does. Emma. Have. A. Date. Yet." He enunciated each word, studying her face carefully. Lily blinked rapidly, and when she spoke her voice was distant. "Yes…yes, that's what I thought you said," she finished dully, as her head successfully throttled her heart and replaced it with a Gobstone.

"So? Does she?"  
  
"No. No, not that I know of."  
  
"Great!" he said, rubbing his hands together gleefully, turning to give someone…she thought it was Frank Longbottom…a triumphant thumbs up. "Thanks Lily. You're a mate."  
  
And he left her there, at the top of the stairs. It seemed she was wrong, after all. Bad girls really _did _ have all the fun. 

*****

James wanted to talk to somebody about the best way in which to ask Emma Camden out on a date. More specifically, he wanted to talk to one of his best friends…unfortunately, this seemed to be out of the question. When he reached the Gryffindor table for breakfast the three of them made a sorry sight. Peter was fast asleep, face down in his congealing porridge. Sirius was morosely picking at a plate of green jelly (his usual Monday morning pick-me-up) and Remus' nose was stuck in a book. Literally.

"What happened to you?" asked James, trying not to laugh. Moony spoke from between the pages, his voice muffled. "I was allowed to borrow it from the Restricted Section, however in my excitement to read…"  
  
"Only you would use the words 'excitement' and 'read' in the same sentence," came the deadened voice of Sirius. "And only you would actually mean it. Or mean them. Whatever, write it down and correct my grammar later."  
  
"Thanks for that, Padfoot. Now, where was I...oh, yes, I forgot to perform the correct charm to open it, and, well…" He pointed at the rather heavy looking tome dangling from his nose. "I was just on my way to the infirmary when you walked in. I'll see you later."  
  
"Wait a min…" Too late. He was gone. And then there were two. Two extremely unresponsive individuals, who he was currently ashamed to call fellow pranksters extraordinare. A gaggle of gigglers sauntered past, trying to catch Sirius' eye. James shook his head in amazement as his friend's head drooped even lower, until his chin was resting on the table.

"D'you think jelly should be classed as transparent or translucent?" he asked, in a faraway voice. "Because at first it seems translucent. But if you really look at it…what is the barrier between translucency and transparency, anyway?"  
  
"Bloody hell, Sirs, lighten up a little…"  
  
"How can I just lighten up? I've completely ruined a perfectly good…"  
  
"…friendship, in fact a brilliant friendship, Arabella and I were great friends, and now that's all over, it's all my fault, hold on though, if she hadn't started ignoring me and making me think she didn't like me like that, but wait, I was unfaithful, it's my fault, I've ruined a perfectly good friendship, and so on, and so on, and so on," James said impatiently. Leaning across the table, he shoved the plate of uneaten jelly aside and tapped Sirius on top of his head. "I know, mate. And it is a shame, and I don't want to sound like I don't care, but it's been nearly a month."

"Three weeks, two days, eleven hours and twelve minutes, actually."  
  
Both dark heads turned slowly to look at Peter, still slumped in his porridge. 

"How the…why the…I didn't even…_what?_" Sirius asked. James shrugged. "My sentiments exactly." 

"That's the moment my life became pointless," came the small voice from the bowl of sludge, sounding so dismal that even Sirius raised a smile. He patted Peter on the shoulder, raising an eyebrow at James. "There, there, Wormtail, old chap. You'll still see me at weekends, and I'll make sure to always write…don't worry, Arabella and I still love you very much, this whole thing was nothing to do with you, you mustn't blame yourself…"

Peter scowled, and straightened up a little. "It's just boring, now. No-one wants to hear you moan on about Arabella. It's not like you two were in _love_."  
  
James held his breath. He had been amazed, that in this whole fiasco of a break up, no-one had yet mentioned the L word. Now it was out, and Sirius looked in turn taken aback, annoyed, thoughtful, and angry, before realisation dawned slowly on his face. 

"You know what…we weren't," he said firmly. 

Well. James hadn't seen that one coming. In fact, he'd fully expected this to be the turning point, the revelation, the real thing…

"No, we weren't."  
  
This was better than a Quidditch match. Well, almost, he mentally amended. Unnoticed, Arabella had entered the Great Hall flanked by the usual cronies. Lily, Talia and Emma. Emma was gorgeous...he couldn't think about that now, he had to concentrate. Sirius had seen her enter, and now they'd never know how he really felt. Part of him was still annoyed with her, and her body language was defensive, arms folded tightly across a plain, brown box.

Biting her bottom lip, she extended one arm towards him, the movement jerky and barely co-ordinated. "Here."  
  
He reached over and took the box, suspiciously. "What's this?"  
  
"All your stuff. I don't want it any more. When I said we were over, I meant it."  
  
Turning sharply, she clattered out of the Hall, leaving only Lily to make another apologetic sort of shrug. James sighed. He'd never been in love. If this was what happened when you fell for somebody, he wasn't at all sure he wanted to be. Sirius flicked open the lid, and examined the contents. 

  
"She kept them all," he stated forlornly, returning to his plate of jelly. Peering over his best friend's shoulder, James could see the box was full of letters, each scrap of parchment covered in the instantly familiar, scrawling handwriting. He patted Sirius on the shoulder, and stood up. "My advice, Padfoot?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Burn them or bury them. Don't read them, because if you go into another spiral of despair you'll find yourself one mate short. I'm off to Divination," he added shortly, eyes fixed on the entrance to the Hall. From the corner of his eye he could just see Emma's customised cloak disappearing into the corridor. Jogging to catch the girls up, he barely noticed Sirius make his way over to the blazing fireplace and throw each letter into the flames, one by one.

*****


	2. When Friends Attack

A/N Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter, hopefully this one will be just as good! Lily gets a little upset, and decides on a plan of action…

"The look on his face was priceless!" Lily heard Emma exclaim as she joined the others in the corridor. If anyone asked her, the look on Sirius' face hadn't been so much priceless as upset. If anyone had asked her about the expression on James' face, she could've gone into much, much more detail. How he'd turned around, shocked to hear Arabella's voice. How his face had crumpled in sympathy for his friend, and how he'd sighed heavily as they left. Most of all, how his eyes had lingered on Emma longer than was necessary. 

"Lil, are you even listening?" 

"What?" she replied, knowing full well she'd be expected to add some sort of Sirius insult. "I said," Talia repeated, with a meaningful glare in her direction. "Now Arry can move on."  
  
"Oh, yeah. Of course you can!" Feeling slightly guilty, she slung an arm around her friend's shoulders, and started to drag her in the general direction of the Divination Tower, despite the fact that it was on the other side of the castle, far away from her Advanced Transfiguration class. As they all walked along the corridor together, she couldn't help biting her lip at some of Emma's carefree chatter. Every word seemed to be making her more and more annoyed.

  
"So then I told him no, because he _is _19, but still, I thought he was nice…did you think he was nice, Arry?"  
  
"Nah," Arabella replied, a little more like her own self. "I thought he was quite ugly, actually."  
  
"Ooh, handbags, girls!" Talia said, grinning at Lily, and for a second it was just like old times. They were her very best friends, after all. Resolving not to let James Potter and his stupid good looks and idiotic charm come between them, Lily smiled.   
  
"Right, I better get along to Advanced Transfig…"  
  
"Alright, you four?"  
  
It was him.

"Hi James," Emma said, poking Lily in the ribs. That was the awful thing. They all knew. All three of them knew she liked him, so when he asked Emma she'd turn him down out of loyalty. Somehow she knew he'd find out about it, because that sort of thing always happened in _Witch Weekly_, and then he'd hate her forever. So, miserable, she ignored Emma, and coughed to hide her disappointment.

"Um…I need to go to Transfiguration," she muttered. Unfortunately, he heard. 

"Oh, right. Hold up, I won't be long," he said, turning to Emma and grinning. "So, Em…you planning on going to the Frog tomorrow night?"  
  
"If I don't get a horrible, scarring disease sometime today, then of course!" she replied enthusiastically. "I mean, it'll be great, because it's on a Tuesday so only sixth year and above'll be there…"  
  
"Well, that's good, because I was wondering…would you like to go with me?"  
  
Lily wanted to eat her tongue. It was all just so horrible, because more than anything else she felt utterly sorry for him. Emma was going to turn him down, and then he'd feel like an idiot, and so embarrassed what with them all watching, all that confidence would be eradicated…she'd find him, days later, wandering around the dungeons, weak with hunger, mumbling to himself. She could nurse him back to health…Lily was just starting to warm to the scenario when something entirely unexpected happened.

"I'd love to!"  
  
"Great. Then that's sorted," he said, full-toothed grin back in place. Lily merely stared at her so-called friend. Her so-called _best_ friend, who she'd loved like a sister, would have died for, her back-stabbing, evil, loathsome enemy…  
  
"Lily, we better get to Transfiguration, McGonagall'll kill us. Or worse, transfigure us into something really _nasty_…"  
  
Talia exchanged a look with the others and waved a hand in front of Lily's face. "Hello?" She made an exasperated noise and linked arms with Emma, dragging her in the opposite direction. Arabella merely shrugged at James and followed them, remembering at the end of the corridor to turn around and call out. "See you at lunch!"  
  
"Bye…" Lily said, still in disbelief. How could this have happened? She didn't understand, surely there was some sort of terrible mistake. Yes, that was it. Her ears hadn't been working properly, and Emma had said no. 

"That went better than I thought it would, eh?" he asked her, pleased with himself. Lily's heart sank. Not a mistake, after all. 

"To Transfiguration, then," she replied in a monotone, feeling her feet start to move. She even managed to hold some sort of idle conversation with him until they reached the classroom. Taking her place at the front with Cathy, a Ravenclaw girl she knew, Lily took notes for the entire lesson and provided the answer to a difficult Inaminate Sentient Switching Spell question, earning Gryffindor 5 points. Still her thoughts remained in that cold, dead place where she'd been betrayed. 

Lunch would be hell.

*****

James wanted to make his sausage sit up and clap. Instead, Professor McGonagall had told them to try and turn it into a small pig. Unfortunately, his normally sharp mind was dwelling on other, more pleasant things. This new teacher didn't yet know how to control a class, and there were plenty of opportunities to slack off. Leaning back in his wooden chair, he ran through a mental checklist of what to wear tomorrow night. 

Robes were definitely out. The Frog was too cool for wizard wear, and had a dress code of Muggle clothes only. Maybe he could borrow Sirius' leather jacket? He wouldn't be wearing the famous 'pulling outfit' for a while…although leather wasn't really James' style. A Hawaiian shirt might be more like it…yeah, he'd wear his new Hawaiian shirt and borrow some trousers off Remus. Remus always had the latest Muggle fashions, due to his father being a Muggle-born, and preferring trousers to 'dresses masquerading as men's clothes'. Lost in thoughts of how best to tame his hair, James didn't hear her coming up behind him until it was too late.

"Mr Potter!"

Sitting bolt upright with shock, he lost his balance, and the chair, after teetering precariously for the smallest of seconds, gave in to gravity. "Arrgh!" he yelled, falling backwards and landing with a solid thump on the floor. Snorted laughter from the rest of the class mixed with the images of Snitches flying around his head. Vision swimming, he was pulled into a standing position with one practised flick of McGonagall's wand. She had a satisfied, if disapproving expression on her face, and he groaned.   
  
"I have to ask, Potter, just what was so interesting that you blatantly ignored my question three times in a row?"

"Hawaiian shirts?" he mumbled groggily. Frank Longbottom covered up an enormous guffaw with a choking cough. McGonagall gestured impatiently towards the front of the room. 

  
"Seeing as how you're so concerned with fashion, I'd like it very much if you'd tell me how to Transfigure a plain piece of material into patterned?"  
  
"Erm…" Casting his eyes desperately around the room for help, he saw Lily hunched over her desk. Frowning slightly, James wondered why she was so miserable. Patterns, patterns…he'd gone through this theorem with Sirius about seventy times, well, alright, twice…another, more important thought sprang to mind. Where exactly was Sirius?

"Er…where's Sirius?" he asked, more to himself than anyone else. McGonagall tapped her foot impatiently. "I'm waiting, James."  
  
"You, er, you Transfigure a small section from the drawing of the pattern with a simple Copy Spell, then use a…erm…a Repeating Charm to cover the entire surface!" he finished triumphantly, still concerned at the absence of his friend.

McGonagall smiled. "Very good, Potter. To answer your earlier question, I believe Mr Black was delivered to the Infirmary after inhaling quite large quantities of a gelatinous substance. His last words, before slipping into unconciousness, were reported to be 'At least I died happy'." She sniffed disapprovingly, as though a student trying to commit suicide with jelly was not only an everyday occurrence, but a thoroughly annoying one. 

James fixed his chair with a quick '_Reparo_' and sat down again, head drooping forward on to his text book. After this half-hearted attempt at killing himself, he was sure Sirius would soon be on the road to recovery. Whenever Padfoot was upset about something, his emotions usually came to a head in some highly dramatic way. His eyes were drawn once again to the unmoving mop of red hair at the front of the class. It was more dark red than copper, and poker straight. 

She was a real mate, Lily. They'd first met at the Sorting Ceremony, and he'd ended up sitting next to her during the feast. As a Muggle-born, she'd asked him loads of questions about the wizarding world, and they'd quickly struck up a rapport. Not that he found it hard to talk to girls or anything, but normally they were so…girly. Emma was a prime example. In fact, he distinctly remembered her refusing to wear the hat as she was worried it would mess up her hair. Hammersmith, the DADA Professor had fixed her with a stern look, and to her immense distaste the hat succeeded in ruining the carefully prepared hairstyle. To everyone's surprise, she'd been a Gryffindor…James smiled as he called up images of all his friends at eleven years old. 

Lily looked much the same now, as did Remus and Peter. Obviously their faces had changed a little, had become older…but he was still skinny, she was still short and Wormtail was still round. Arabella currently had long, curly hair, which just happened to be dark pink. That little indiscretion had taken place during the great Boys vs. Girls prank war of third year, when Sirius had exchanged her shampoo for 'Hair Today, Hair Forever' dye in Deep Rose. After chasing him around the castle, out on to the Quidditch pitch and pushing him into the lake she'd come to the conclusion that the colour was quite nice, and had kept it. Sirius himself had transformed from a rather bony, knobbly faced kid into a devilishly charming young man (as described by the recently formed Sirius Black Fan-Club – 'We're Siriusly mad about Sirius!'). Talia had lost a ton of weight due to her prowess at Quidditch (she was a fellow Chaser) and James had to admit, was giving the others a run for their Galleons these days. 

Brought out of his reverie by the sound of the lunch bell, James half-ran to the Great Hall, failing to notice that Lily stared after him, her green eyes rapidly filling with tears of despair.

*****

Lily was furious with herself. Crying never did anyone any good, and she blinked away the tears before they had a chance to fall. 

"You alright?" asked Catherine as she cleared away her books. "You look a little pale."  
  
"I'm fine, thanks, just a few friend problems," Lily replied, wondering whether she should pour out all her troubles there and then. Tempting as the idea was, it turned out there was no need. The sources of all her troubles had just appeared in the doorway, and were tapping their feet, obviously waiting for her to come to lunch. Well, she wouldn't give them the satisfaction. Grabbing a bemused Cathy by the arm, she dragged her from the Transfiguration room, pointedly avoiding the incredulous stares of Talia. 

They turned the corner, walked up a flight of stairs and finally collapsed inside the library. Cathy frowned at Lily, and dropped her book bag to the floor. "As it so happens, I was coming up here to meet my research group _anyway_. In the future, however, I'd appreciate it if you told me before manhandling me away from..."  
  
"I lied. I'm not okay," said Lily, her bottom lip trembling again. Her friend's face softened, and she reached out a tentative hand.   
  
"So what _is _the matter, then?" asked Cathy.

"Everything! I hate myself!" she exclaimed. Cathy snorted derisively, and shook her head. "Now you sound like that Sirius Black," she chided.

  
"I don't mean…I mean…look. Take Sirius, for example," Lily said, clutching the material of her robes in feverish fingers. "He's clever…"  
  
"So are you."  
  
"He's good-looking…"

  
"So are you!"  
  
"He's funny…"  
  
"You're occasionally humorous…"  


"And he's…well, I really hate to say this, but he's…he's _bad_," she finished, fixing Cathy with a knowing stare. The Ravenclaw girl swallowed, searched for words, then cocked her head to one side.

"I suppose you're…in a way you're very…but…"  
  
"See? I'm plain old Lily. The word people use to describe me is nice."  
  
"And what's wrong with that?" asked Cathy.

"The problem is," Lily said, lowering her voice. "The problem is, nice isn't what certain people want. It isn't what certain people like. And it isn't getting me anywhere! When my friends go out, I stay in. They ask _me_ to cover for _them_." She held up a hand, stopping Cathy mid-accusation. "And before you say it, they are my real friends. They've stuck by me through thick and thin, and I know Emma didn't mean it…"  
  
"Didn't mean what?"  
  
"Er…oh, alright. She told James she'd go to the Frog with him tomorrow night."  
  
"Oh. Oh! James is the one you…"  
  
"Hey!" Lily hissed, looking around frantically. "Not so loud."  
  
"Sorry. James is the one you like, isn't he? Did Emma know that?"  
  
"Yes, she did! That's why I was so angry to start with, but she couldn't've meant it…I think she just thought I didn't like him anymore. I don't know…I'll ask her later, when I've cooled down a bit. The point is, although I'm a little mad with them, we'll always be best mates, and they'll always like me the way I am. I just want to change, for myself."  
  
"No you don't. You want to change for James…"  
  
"That isn't it! Inside me there's a…a bad girl just waiting to get out! I want to wear make-up! I want to swear, and laugh loudly, and totter around in high heels!" Lily's eyes widened with the realisation, and a huge grin lit up her face. "I even want to get drunk!"  
  
Cathy's mouth pursed into a disapproving line, and she sighed. "If that's what you want, and you're doing it for you, then go for t. But I'd talk to Emma first…and Lily?" The red-head had stood up to leave, and turned at the door. "Yes?"  
  
"If he doesn't love you for who you really are, then he isn't worth it."  
  
*****

"Where the hell is she?" asked Arabella worriedly, stubbing out her cigarette by accident. She tried to light it again with her wand, and only succeeded in dropping both items on the tiled floor. Talia wafted the smoke away and pulled a face. "I thought you were giving up."  
  
The other girl shrugged, and gave a thin smile. "It's been a stressful few weeks. Besides, Snape's been selling them on at cut-down prices, so I thought I might as well stock up."  
  
Talia shook her head, and then turned to Emma. "What's up with you?"  
  
"It's my fault, that's what's up."  
  
"Don't be stupid! She stopped liking James ages ago!" said Talia, emphasising her point by shooting a small jet of sparks from the tip of her wand.

"Licking James? I don't thinks she's ever done that," said Arabella, sticking her tongue out and grinning. The blonde girl came to life for a few seconds, and slapped her friend on the wrist. 

"She said 'liking' and you know she did. Still, Lils was fine until James asked me out. I should've just said no," she added, despondent.

"Hi."  
  
They all turned as one to the door, and broke into a chorus of smiles.

"Lily!"  
  
"I thought Cathy'd locked you in her secret lair!"  
  
"Hi! Lily, I'm so sorry…"

"I heard."  
  
"It's just that you never talk about him anymore, and you never like, flirt with him or anything, so I just thought…I go and tell him I've changed my mind," said Emma decisively, grabbing Lily by the hand. "I'll tell him I…er…I'm…staying here. To do homework," she said, face scrunched up as though homework were some sort of torture worse than death. Lily laughed.

"Em, I'm fine with it. You can go with him if you like. I don't care about James Potter. So, are we still friends?" she asked nervously. The others all pulled her into a group hug, Arabella holding her newly lit cigarette high above their heads. "Of course we are, you idiot!" she shouted, and they all broke apart. Lily grabbed the cigarette, and examined it. Arabella rolled her eyes, and snatched it back.

"I know, I know, they're bad for my health, they make me smell, and they're addictive…don't worry, I'll stop," she assured her, making to flush it down a nearby toilet. Lily merely shook her head slowly and smiled mysteriously. "What?" asked Arabella, mystified. "What is it?"  
  
"Girls. I want you to teach me."  
  
"What could _we_ possibly teach _you_?" sniggered Talia.

Lily grinned. "How to be bad."

A/N Next time…Sirius speaks to James from his death-bed, Lily receives her first 'Badder than Bad' lessons, and the gang prepare for their night out.  



End file.
